Send your friend to a public library. A good book is "The Hive and the Honeybee" published by Dadant & Sons. You can get their address from the book and write for a catalog of their equipment. They also publish the "American Bee Journal" magazine. The county Agriculture Cooperative agent should know if there is a local beekeeping organization and of an agriculture college in the state which would offer short courses. I know that there is a bee program near you at Doylstown college and they offer short courses. The University of Guelph (sp) in Ontario Canada offers a set of videos and correspondance courses. There is also the Eastern Apiculture Society (EAS) which is a regional organization for Northeastern United States which meets once a year in August. I'm not sure of this year's meeting location but the Pensylvania State Beekeepers are represented. So in summary: read everything you can get your hands on... join all the associations you have the time to attend in your area... take all the short courses you can afford... talk to all of the experienced people you can... and then remember that the bees don't read the same books... don't attend the same meetings... don't take the same courses... don't acknowledge any experts.. and that almost all of the bees are females and thus reserve the right to change their minds so keep your eyes open and make your own observations! ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + Raymond J. Lackey + + Beekeeper 10 years with 25 colonies on Long Island + + INTERNET: [log in to unmask] + + Mail: 1260 Walnut Avenue, Bohemia NY 11617 + + Home Phone: 516-567-1936 FAX: 516-262-8053 + ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++